Hartlepool United dressing room view on Kidderminster Harriers defeat - and key problem identified
The dressing room view on Hartlepool United defeat.
Liam Gibson has given an insight into the Hartlepool United dressing room view after the club’s fourth defeat in the opening seven league games this season.
Pools’ disappointing start to the new National League season continued with a 2-0 defeat to Kidderminster Harriers on Friday night. Pools have now lost four of their opening seven league games, and four out of the last five games.
Hartlepool defender Neo Eccleston scored an own goal before half-time and was sent off early in the second period before Callum Stewart’s late header sealed the points. Harriers twice threatened through Lewis Walker and Max Brogan, whose effort from the edge of the penalty area struck a post, before a 34th-minute corner rebounded off Eccleston into his own net.
Pools went close to an equaliser soon after the restart when Chris Popov’s first-time effort at the near post flew over, but the visitors were reduced to 10 men shortly after as Eccleston was shown his second yellow card.
After Kidderminster pair Callum Dolan and Reece Devine had both gone close, Pools substitute Cole Deeming pulled a shot narrowly wide, but Stewart’s thumping header from Ethan Moore’s cross secured Harriers’ fourth league win of the season. Pools face Altrincham away on Wednesday night.
Reflecting on the defeat, Gibson told the club website: “It’s good that we’ve got a game on Wednesday, so we can put things right. I think consistency is a problem – we’re winning games, but not backing it up. We know what needs to be done to put things right.
“We’ll go and look at it [the game] over the weekend and see where we can improve.”